Indian agriculture has witnessed remarkable growth during the last decade, with agricultural GVA growing at a historic average annual rate of 4.68 per cent. Farmers’ incomes have also grown faster than those in manufacturing and several non-agricultural sectors. However, this growth story has been far from uniform across different segments of agriculture.
The momentum has largely come from high-value sectors such as horticulture, dairy, poultry and fisheries, while field crops—which account for nearly 85 per cent of the country’s gross cropped area—have shown relatively modest growth. One of the key reasons has been the absence of major technological breakthroughs capable of significantly improving yields in most crops. Soybean and cotton, for instance, have even experienced stagnating or declining productivity in recent years.
Against this backdrop, maize stands out as a notable exception.
India’s maize production has increased from 22.57 million tonnes in 2015-16 to an estimated 55.09 million tonnes in 2025-26, registering an impressive compound annual growth rate of 9.3 per cent. The growth in maize has been more than double that of cereals, pulses and rice, and over three times that of wheat. Significantly, this expansion has been driven primarily by productivity gains, which subsequently encouraged acreage expansion as well.
India’s maize transformation gained momentum in 2007-08, when yields increased by nearly 22 per cent in a single year, resulting in a production jump of over 25 per cent. Today, with national productivity approaching 4 tonnes per hectare, India is steadily catching up with global standards.
Perhaps the most striking aspect of this success story is that maize has achieved these gains without the extensive price support mechanisms historically available to rice and wheat. The crop’s performance reflects the advantages of modern single-cross hybrids, improved agronomic practices, and its ability to adapt across diverse agro-climatic conditions. Unlike many crops, maize can be grown in almost all agricultural zones and during kharif, rabi and summer seasons. Yet, the opportunity ahead remains enormous.
Experts believe that India’s average maize productivity can potentially double to 8 tonnes per hectare by adopting the varieties already available through public and private research systems. State-level performance demonstrates this possibility. West Bengal records yields close to 7 tonnes per hectare, Andhra Pradesh around 6.5 tonnes, and Bihar about 6.1 tonnes per hectare. Telangana and Tamil Nadu are also approaching these levels. Collectively, these five states account for 22 per cent of the country’s maize acreage but contribute nearly 38 per cent of total production. In contrast, major maize-growing states such as Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka continue to record yields of only about 3 tonnes per hectare, highlighting the substantial productivity gap that still exists.
Beyond economics, maize offers compelling sustainability benefits.
The dominance of rice cultivation, particularly in low-rainfall regions and north-western India, has placed enormous pressure on groundwater resources and soil health. Kharif maize requires substantially less water, has a shorter crop cycle, and supports better soil conditions compared to paddy cultivation. A gradual shift from rice to maize in suitable regions could therefore contribute significantly to environmental sustainability while maintaining farm profitability.
This argument becomes even stronger when viewed in the context of India’s rice surplus. The country currently produces nearly 30 per cent more rice than its domestic requirements. Large quantities procured under MSP operations exceed the needs of the Public Distribution System and buffer stocking norms, leading to excessive inventories. A significant portion of this surplus is eventually diverted towards ethanol production, imposing considerable financial costs on the exchequer. Encouraging a shift of some rice acreage towards maize could help reduce these distortions while offering farmers comparable economic returns.
For such a transition to succeed, however, policy support for maize-based bioenergy and stable, remunerative markets will be essential. Importantly, expanding maize production need not create serious food-versus-feed conflicts. Instead, it can strengthen rural value chains, generate employment opportunities, reduce pressure on natural resources, and contribute to long-term environmental sustainability.
From a dairy and livestock perspective, the maize revolution presents both opportunities and challenges. Higher productivity can improve feed availability and promote maize silage adoption, enhancing milk productivity and farm economics. At the same time, policymakers must carefully balance the competing demands of feed, food and fuel to ensure that rapid growth in ethanol consumption does not adversely impact the livestock sector.
The larger lesson is perhaps the most important one. Sustainable growth in Indian agriculture cannot rely indefinitely on higher input use, subsidies or price support mechanisms. The future lies in unlocking productivity through technology, improved genetics, diversification and market-driven opportunities. If nurtured appropriately, maize may well emerge as India’s next major productivity-led agricultural success story—one that combines economic growth with environmental sustainability and resource conservation.
Source : Dairynews7x7 June 25th 2026 Read full article here written by Ramesh Chand